Women's National Basketball AssociationAbout the League

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is the premier professional women's basketball league in the United States and Canada. The league was founded in 1996 and began play in 1997 with eight teams. In 2026, its 30th season, the WNBA has expanded to 15 teams with the addition of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo.

The WNBA regular season runs from May through September, with each team playing 44 games in 2026. The league is divided into Eastern and Western Conferences, but playoff qualification is based on overall record: the eight teams with the best records advance. The first round is best-of-three, the semifinals are best-of-five, and the WNBA Finals are best-of-seven.

The WNBA also holds the Commissioner's Cup, an in-season competition played during designated regular-season games. Teams compete within their conferences, with the top team from each conference advancing to the Commissioner's Cup Championship.